A REINVESTIGATION OF THE B(3)SIGMA--X(3)SIGMA- TRANSITION OF THE SO RADICAL

The B3SIGMA--X3SIGMA- transition of the SO radical has been reinvestigated at high resolution for two isotopomers ((SO)-S-32-O-16) and (SO)-S-32-O-18 rotational analysis of several bands has led to a reassignment of the branches and to a new set of molecular constants for the upsilon' = 0 and upsilon' = 1 levels of the B state. A limiting curve of predissociation of the B3SIGMA- state by a shallow C3PI state has been obtained, which yields a precise value of the dissociation energy of the X3SIGMA- state: D(e)'' = 43 680 +/- 5 cm-1. Many new rotational perturbations were observed in the B3SIGMA- state, but a complete understanding of these was not possible. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.